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We teach communities
how to live sustainably.

We teach communities
how to live sustainably.

About Urban Green Lab

Urban Green Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to teach communities how to live sustainably in Nashville, TN and its surrounding counties. We organize teams, train them on making sustainable choices, and connect people with services and peers to walk with on their sustainable journey. We envision a Nashville where everyone has access to opportunities for learning about sustainable living.

Educating in places where culture begins

The Classrooms programs train educators and provide confidence, tools, and community to bring a sustainable lens into any classroom.

The Households division creates sustainable living education systems that inspire residents and families to be part of the solution.

The Workplaces branch educates and builds communities and cultures of sustainability in businesses throughout the Nashville area.

Special Initiatives

Our special initiatives are focus areas of sustainability education that Urban Green Lab has chosen to highlight and incorporate throughout the divisions.

The Nashville Environmental Justice Initiative is growing a movement of environmental justice learning that protects Nashville's marginalized communities.

The Nashville Food Waste Initiative develops tools and implements strategies for decreasing food waste and growing sustainable food consumption practices to serve as a model for other cities.

2023 annual report

For more information on our organization, programs, and impact, read our 2023 Annual Report.

EVENTS

Urban Green Lab and Zero Waste Nashville Present Earth Month Coffee Crawl April 2024

Earth Month Coffee Crawl

From April 1-22, Zero Waste Nashville and Urban Green Lab are showcasing sustainable coffee shops across Nashville through the first Earth Month Coffee Crawl! Grab some friends and try out new drinks across the city.

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Man presents on Nashville's sustainability opportunities to a room full of people

UGL Volunteer Training – May 18

The UGL Volunteers are Urban Green Lab’s frontline ambassadors working to make Nashville a more sustainable place. Join us for volunteer training to learn more about sustainability and how to talk about sustainability with family, friends, and neighbors.

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Nashville Sustainability Roundtable: March 21

Join us on Thursday, March 21, 2024, for the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable hosted by Urban Green Lab in partnership with Schneider Electric! 

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BLOG

Urban Green Lab Publishes 2023 Annual Report

March 5, 2024

Urban Green Lab shares the 2023 Annual Report showcasing program achievements and stories from stakeholders

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11 Books About Sustainability to Add to Your Reading List

March 4, 2024

Book recommendations to learn more about sustainability for all reading levels

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Headshot of Jaffee Judah

How Less Trash Leads to Less Crime in Communities

January 31, 2024

In low-income areas of Nashville, the correlation between crime and pollution has reached alarming levels, with both issues deeply rooted in historical injustices such as redlining and community divestment. However, …

How Less Trash Leads to Less Crime in Communities Read More »

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In the News

The Green Issue: So You Want to Recycle Responsibly

April 22, 2021

Voting with our dollar and buying into eco-friendly companies may become even more important in Nashville, as many of our landfills are set to fill up and close in the next few years. Todd Lawrence, executive director of nonprofit Urban Green Lab, says the organization educates residents about Metro’s priorities, like the current Solid Waste Master Plan, which “will serve as a roadmap to achieving Zero Waste over the next 30 years,” according to Metro’s website.

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Speak Up for Equity: Advocating for Environmental Justice with Patrick King

February 25, 2021

Patrick King believes that sustainability is directly tied to issues of inequity. He’s the sustainability education manager with Urban Green Lab, and he’s working to implement a new Environmental Justice Initiative which will focus on helping distressed communities improve their health and lives.

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Metro Public Works and Urban Green Lab Partner on New Educational Series to Help Nashvillians Live More Sustainably

January 12, 2021

Metro Public Works (MPW) and Urban Green Lab (UGL), a nonprofit that teaches communities how to live sustainably, are partnering on a new educational series titled “Sustainable in the City: Thinking Upstream” focused on how Nashvillians can better reduce, reuse, and recycle, and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

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